ARTICLE 22 SIGNS AND OUTDOOR ADVERTISING STRUCTURES

Transcription

1 ARTICLE 22 SIGNS AND OUTDOOR ADVERTISING STRUCTURES 22.0 Purpose: The purpose of this chapter is to protect the general health, safety, and welfare of the community by providing an instrument for protecting the physical appearance of the community and for encouraging high quality, effective outdoor graphics for the purposes of navigation, information, and identification. Specifically, it is the intent of this section to provide businesses in township with equitable sign standards in accord with fair competition and aesthetic standards acceptable to the community, and to provide the public with a safe and effective means of locating businesses, services, areas, and points of interest in the township. This section is based on the premise that signs are as much subject to control as noise, odors, debris and similar characteristics of land use, that if not controlled and regulated, can become a nuisance to adjacent properties or the community in general, or depreciate the value of other properties in the community Definitions: A sign is defined as any name, number, symbol, identification, description, display or illustration which is affixed to, painted on, or represented directly or indirectly upon a building, structure or other device and which directs attention to any object, product, place, activity, person, institution, organization or business. This definition includes back-lighted plastic panels or strip lighting affixed to any wall or roof where any such panels or lighting serve to identify a business and attract attention rather than to illuminate space for human activity. All signs located on land within the township and visible from any public rightof-way or adjacent property shall comply with this section unless specifically exempted in this Article Zoning Certificates, Inspections & Removal: The erection or location of any sign within Bath Township shall require a Zoning Certificate unless otherwise specified within this Article. Each application for a Zoning Certificate to erect a sign shall be accompanied by the following before it will be processed by the Zoning Inspector: 1. A drawing, rendering or photograph showing the proposed design, size, height, style, color, lettering type, lines, symbols, and/or copy. 2. Any and all methods of illumination. 3. Names and contact information for the party responsible for the construction, maintenance, installation, and removal of the sign. 4. The location of the sign relative to the road, right of way, sight lines, buildings, and property lines. 5. Any other information that the Zoning Inspector, upon review of the application may deem necessary to process the Zoning Certificate Fees: The applicant for a Zoning Certificate herein shall pay such fees as is prescribed by the Bath Township Trustees. Such fees shall be prescribed annually, or more often, by the Trustees. 22-1

2 Inspections: All signs proposed to be erected within this Township are subject to inspection, whether a Zoning Certificate is required or not, prior to installation. The Township Zoning Inspector and/or any other official of the Township is hereby authorized to enter upon any property or premises to ascertain whether the provisions of this article are being complied with. Such inspection may be made at any reasonable time without prior notice Removal of Signs: The Township Zoning Inspector shall remove, or have removed via civil action any sign for which no required Zoning Certificate has been applied for, issued or approved. Signs placed illegally in the road right-of-way may be determined by the Road Foreman or Township Trustees to be a hazard or obstruction to the operation and/or maintenance of the road. The Board of Trustees may declare the sign to be a nuisance at which time the responsible parties will have thirty (30) days to remove the object or the Township will remove it at the owner s expense. The Township shall reasonably retain said signs and shall attempt to notify the owner thereof of its location. If the owner of any sign fails to claim the same within forty-five (45) days after notice by the Zoning Inspector, said sign may be destroyed or discarded General Requirements: The following restrictions shall apply to all signs located and erected within the Township regardless of type, style, location design or other classification Stability: Signs shall be so constructed that they will withstand wind pressure and atmospheric conditions of at least thirty (30) pounds per square foot of surface, and will be otherwise fastened suspended or supported so that they will not be a menace or hazard to persons or property Location: No sign shall be located nor project into the right-of-way of any public or private road within the Township. Signs shall not prevent free ingress to or free egress from any door, window or fire escape. Said sign or signs shall be located in strict compliance with Article and any other portion of this Resolution Lighting: If illuminated, signs and properties shall not be illuminated by flashing lights, fluctuating lights, blinking lights, intermittent lights, or a string of lights. Appropriate illumination of signs shall be only by the following means: By a white steady, stationary light of reasonable intensity and/or brightness, directed solely at the sign and shielded or 22-2

3 otherwise prevented from beaming directly onto adjacent properties or streets By white interior light of reasonable intensity with logos and/or letters lit or silhouetted on a translucent background. No additional lighting shall be permitted Non-flashing neon Signs shall not use the words STOP, LOOK, DANGER, or other similar words, images or messages that may mislead or confuse traffic or produce a potentially hazardous situation Sight Interference: No sign shall be permitted in Bath Township that interferes with the visibility of pedestrian or vehicular traffic entering, leaving or operating on thoroughfares Maintenance: All signs constructed or erected within Bath Township shall be maintained as follows: All sign surfaces, supports, braces, guys and anchors shall be kept in a reasonable state of repair and preservation Traffic Safety - Colors, etc.: Display signs shall not closely resemble or approximate the shape, form and/or color of official traffic signs signals and devices Height: No sign shall be erected to a greater height than permitted by the specific provisions of this Resolution and in compliance with Article If no maximum height is otherwise set forth, no sign shall be erected at a height greater than fifteen (15) feet above the average grade of the property or the nearest road surface, whichever is higher Visibility: Any interior window sign visible from the outside shall be considered an exterior sign and shall be subject to all provisions of the Bath Township Zoning Resolution Permitted Signs - No Zoning Certificate Required: The following signs shall be permitted in the Township subject to the regulations set forth herein. No permit shall be required for any sign constructed or erected under the terms of this article. Under no circumstances shall the signs be located in the road right-of-way nor illuminated in any manner. No sign shall have more than two (2) sides. All signs shall comply with requirements listed in Article Signs for Sale, Lease or Rent of the premises on which the sign is located. Not more than two (2) signs shall be displayed on any lot or parcel. Such signs shall not be illuminated and shall not exceed six (6) square feet of area per side. All such signs shall be removed within thirty 22-3

4 (30) days after occupancy. See Article Permit required - for signs larger than six (6) square feet on parcels greater than fifteen (15) acres Vehicular Signs: Directional or other incidental signs pertaining to vehicular or pedestrian control on private property, provided the said signs are located outside the right-of-way of any public street or road, shall be permitted provided said signs do not exceed two (2) square feet of area per side, do not exceed three (3) feet in height, and do not interfere or obstruct visibility when entering or leaving property Name and Address of Occupant of residential property, not to include designations as to employment or home occupation, and to be limited in size to no more than two (2) square feet in area per side. No more than one (1) sign shall be permitted Temporary Signs for community activities and events shall be permitted in any district of the Township provided the said signs are located outside the road right-of-way and that said signs: Shall not interfere with visibility of traffic entering or leaving the highway Are erected or posted not more than thirty (30) days prior to an event and are removed within seven (7) days following said event Are capable of posting and removal without destruction or excavation of public or private property Are not attached to certain structures including utility poles, light poles, and fences Designate the name and address of the landowner and/or person and committee charged with removal of the sign Shall not exceed five (5) feet in height and thirty-two (32) square feet in area per side. Such signage includes the promotion of school activities and events, community service activities and events, church activities and events, or an election. No more than sixty-four (64) square feet of signage shall be permitted on any one (1) lot or parcel of land. The location of the sign shall be in conformance with the requirements of Article No one sponsor, group, person, or organization shall display such promotional signs for more than ninety days in any one calendar year or 365 day cycle Farm Signs denoting the name and address of the occupants, denoting produce or products for sales on the premises and denoting membership in organizations. No more than two (2) signs of any type may be permitted. Advertising signs may not exceed thirty-two square feet of area per side and all other signs shall be limited to six (6) squares feet per side. 22-4

5 Business/Professional signs: One (1) sign having not more than 4 square feet of display area on or over a show window or door of a store or business establishment, announcing without display or elaboration, only the name of the proprietor and the nature of his business Public Use Facilities: Signs designating public uses or facilities shall be in conformity with this Resolution Each and Every Premise within Bath Township shall be easily identified by street numbers visible from the street to assist Fire and Rescue Personnel. For a nominal fee, Bath Township will make 911 signs for township residents; these signs have been approved and strongly encouraged by the Fire Department to be posted Historical Signs, Commemorative Plaque or Cornerstones placed by recognized historical agencies, provided that such signs are less than nine (9) square feet in area and not illuminated, Yard, Garage, or Moving Sales: A sign advertising the sale of personal property may be temporarily erected on the same lot as the sale provided such sign is not located in the right-of-way of any public street or road and shall not interfere or obstruct visibility when entering or leaving property. The signs must be removed on the last day of the sale, not to exceed seven (7) days or a Zoning Certificate is required Construction Signs: Signs identifying a construction project may be temporarily erected upon the same lot as the project. Such signs shall be permitted only for the length of the construction project or for eighteen (18) months, whichever is shorter. Any extension past the eighteen (18) months shall be subject to approval by the Zoning Inspector. Construction signs shall contain only the name of the construction project, the construction firm(s), the engineer, the architect and/or the subcontractors involved in the project, the address of the project and/or lot number. Signs can be erected up to 60 days maximum prior to the beginning of construction. Only one (1) construction sign shall be permitted per project. Maximum sign area permitted shall be six (6) square feet for each single dwelling unit for residential structures up to a maximum of thirty-two (32) square feet per side for all principal structures. All signs shall be set back from the street right-of-way per Article (This section is intentionally left blank) Property Control Signs: (No Hunting, Keep off the Grass, etc.) shall be permitted not to exceed two (2) square feet in size. 22-5

6 Window Signage with a total area of less than two (2) square feet and bearing only information about entry and exit, business hours and/or discount and credit systems accepted in that establishment (e.g., American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Golden Buckeye Card) Signs incorporated into a window display of a business other than those addressed in section , provided such window display signs are: Limited to ten percent (10%) of the total first floor window area up to a maximum of four (4) square feet, with no more than one such sign per window Placed only in ground level windows Illuminated only from a concealed source, and in accordance with section This specific signage does not count towards the maximum square footage of signage allowed on a parcel The flags, pennants, or insignia of any nation, state, city, or other political unit Signs of a duly constituted governmental body, including traffic or similar regulatory devices, legal notices, or warnings at railroad crossings Permitted Signs - Zoning Certificate Required: The following signs shall be permitted upon obtaining a Zoning Certificate in areas clearly delineated herein and subject to the reasonable regulations set forth herein: Real Estate Signs in All Zoning Districts: On parcels exceeding fifteen acres, one (1) sign not to exceed thirty-two (32) square feet per side and height as determined by Article Signs identifying a property for sale, rent or lease may be placed on-site until thirty (30) days after occupancy. Where a parcel has frontages on two (2) or more roads, one (1) sign may be permitted on each road on review of the Zoning Inspector. Such signs shall not be illuminated and shall be set back from the public right-of-way a minimum of ten (10) feet. Said signs may remain on a premise for a period not to exceed eighteen (18) months without renewal Subdivision Sale Signs: One (1) sign providing information on the sale of lots within an approved and recorded subdivision may be placed upon the property until ninety percent (90%) of the lots within the subdivision are sold. Subdivision sale signs shall contain only the name of the subdivision, the name of the owner, the name of the developer and information regarding price, terms and the location and telephone number 22-6

7 of the sales office. Where a parcel has frontage on two (2) or more roads, one (1) sign may be permitted on each road on review of the Zoning Inspector. All such signs shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet and shall be set back from the right-of-way a minimum of ten (10) feet Model Home Signs: One (1) sign per model home providing information on the builder, telephone number, and hours of operation. Signs shall be no more than six (6) square feet per side, no more than two (2) sides and may be placed on the property until ninety percent (90%) of the lots within the subdivision are sold. Two (2) such signs shall be limited to entrances along major thoroughfares and shall not obstruct the visibility at any intersection. Such signs shall contain only the name of the subdivision they identify. Signs shall not exceed six (6) feet in height, and shall not contain any advertising of products or changeable copy, nor shall they be portable signs on wheels. Within any zoning district, any sign not specifically permitted in this Article shall require a variance or conditional use permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals Permanent Subdivision Identification Signs in all zoning districts shall be limited to entrances along major thoroughfares and shall not obstruct the visibility at any intersection. The signs shall not exceed eight (8) feet in height, nor shall they exceed thirty-two (32) square feet on either side, and shall be landscaped. Identification signs shall not contain any advertising of products or changeable copy, nor shall they be portable signs on wheels within any district Changeable Copy Signs: Permanent sign installations with changeable copy shall include signs with the ability to change the content of the text or message without physically altering the sign. Copy can be changed manually or electronically. Such signs shall be located, sized and operated based on restrictions set forth throughout Article 22 of this Resolution All changeable copy signs shall be adequately maintained and in good repair at all times AND permanently mounted to the side of a building or on the ground using prescribed standards for installation, size and location. Changeable Copy signs are not permitted on any type of motor vehicle or other temporary structure except as provided in So called A-frame or temporarily placed, changeable copy sign panels shall be permitted for short term promotions of events, sales, announcements, etc on any one parcel for a period not to exceed 5 days consecutively or 21 days cumulatively for any calendar year. 22-7

8 Such signs that have been in place and in use on the effective date of this Resolution shall be permitted to remain in place and in use on a daily basis for a period of two (2) years at which time the use of the sign shall comply with the above prescribed restrictions, be updated to a permanently installed sign or removed. If the parcel that such a sign is located becomes split, combined with another parcel or the property or business is sold to any other entity or person, the sign shall be removed immediately upon transfer Changeable copy signs shall be sized, located and operated in those Zoning Districts as prescribed in Section of this Resolution Content of all Changeable Copy signs shall pertain to the onpremise advertising only except those images and messages relevant to the promotion of community wide events for nonprofit purposes Business or Manufacturing Display Signs: All display signs shall be mounted on the building that houses the business establishment advertised by such signs, EXCEPT as otherwise specifically authorized by this Resolution. Such signs shall be located on or along one (1) wall of such building which faces a street, parking lot or service drive, and shall not project above the roof line or the cap of parapets of such building, whichever is higher. Signs may be erected on a wall that is an extension of a building wall that faces a street, parking lot or service drive, provided that the design and construction of such extension are architecturally compatible with the building and such wall does not extend beyond any required building setback line of the building to which such extension wall is attached. The display area of the sign must be located either on the wall or extension. It may not be located on both and shall not exceed sixty-four (64) square feet. All such signs shall be parallel to the wall on which they are installed, and shall not project more than eighteen (18) inches from such wall Free Standing Signs in Business and Manufacturing Districts: A sign supported by posts, pillars, and columns or other structures shall be permitted based on the following conditions: The maximum height of such sign does not exceed fifteen (15) feet above the established grade line or 15 above the grade at the nearest edge of the street, whichever is greater, but in no case shall the height exceed twenty (20) feet. 22-8

9 Not more than one (1) free standing sign may be authorized for any one (1) operation or establishment. Where more than one (1) operation or establishment is located on a single tract of land, having an entrance or parking area or areas used in common by the customers of such operations or establishments, only one (1) free standing sign may be authorized for the entire tract. The existence and boundaries of such tract shall be determine by community of use, rather than by the ownership thereof, it being intended by this provision to limit each operation, establishment of similar joint operation to one (1) free standing sign, EXCEPT in the case of an operation or establishment that is contiguous to two (2) streets in which case one (1) free standing sign, fronting on each street, may be authorized by the Bath Township Zoning Inspector No part of such sign will be closer to any street right-of-way line than fifteen (15) feet. No sign or its supporting structure shall be any closer to any other property line than the applicable building setback line The function of such sign shall be relevant to the use of the property on which it is located Signs for Home Occupations: One (1) sign per residence no larger than four (4) square feet shall be permitted for the purpose of announcing a home occupation which has complied with all of the requirements of the Bath Township Zoning Resolution. There shall be no fees charged for the Zoning Certificate with this use Conditionally Permitted Signs - Zoning Certificate Required: Any sign not specifically permitted in this Article 22 shall require a variance or conditional use permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals as provided in Article 29 and 30 of the Bath Township Zoning Resolution Prohibited Signs: The following signs shall be prohibited in Bath Township: Signs mounted and/or painted upon the roof of any building or structure, except identification signs on agricultural buildings Signs not otherwise specifically authorized by this Resolution Moving or rotating signs, portable signs, portable billboards, pennants, streamers, spinners, banners, A frame signs and billboards or inflatable and/or floating attraction devices, physical animation of signs and other similar devices as specifically used for advertising purposes. 22-9

10 Signs or advertising erected and maintained on trees or painted or drawn upon rocks or other natural features (This section intentionally left blank) Advertising devices that attempt, or appear to attempt, to direct the movement of traffic, or which interfere with, imitate or resemble an official sign, signal or device No signs shall be posted, attached, mounted or otherwise applied on utility poles, or any other unapproved supporting structure No vehicle, trailer, or equipment of any type, in whole or part, not intended or used in the normal operations of any business or service in question, may be parked for more than ten (10) days annually (whether consecutively or cumulatively) in the Township for the purposes of advertising any business, product, service, event, object, location, organization or the like No sign shall be located on a vacant lot, EXCEPT for the purpose of advertising the lot for sale or lease, or for such purpose as the notification of a present danger or the prohibition of trespassing Abandoned Signs: If any sign is determined to be unmaintained, abandoned or defective in any manner defined herein, such signs are hereby declared to be a public nuisance by reason that continued lack of use and maintenance results in a blighting influence on nearby properties and is considered to be an overall detriment to the Township. An abandoned or defective sign is any sign or billboard that meets any of the following criteria: A sign associated with an abandoned non-conforming use Any sign that remains after a business has ceased operations or is closed to the public for one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days. Seasonable businesses are exempt from this determination Any sign that is not maintained in accordance with this Resolution Any sign that is structurally defective, in need of repair, or is otherwise a hazard to public safety or aesthetically incompatible with the surrounding property as permitted by law. When the Zoning Inspector finds, upon investigation, that a sign has been abandoned or defective as defined herein, the Inspector shall notify the owner of said sign, together with the owner of the land on which the sign is located, of his/her findings. Such notice shall advise the owners that the sign and its supporting 22-10

11 structure has been declared abandoned or is in need of repair and must be removed or repaired within thirty (30) days from the date of the said notice at the owner s expense. The owners may appeal such decision to the Board of Zoning of Appeals as provided in Article 28. Any abandoned or defective sign and its supporting structure that is not removed or repaired within the thirty (30) day window may not be replaced or repaired without obtaining a new Zoning Certificate and complying with all of the requirements of Article 22. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Inspector to maintain a photograph and file of said sign together with the written report of any findings for submission to the Board of Zoning Appeals upon request. If the sign is not removed by the property owner or responsible party as ordered, the same shall be removed by the Township at the expense of the property owner or responsible party Non-Conforming Signs: Any sign in existence within the Township prior to the effective date of this Resolution that does not conform with the provisions of this Article is considered to be non-conforming. Any sign that does not conform to the provisions of this Article shall be allowed to continue in its non-conforming status provided the sign or billboard was erected in compliance in all respects with applicable laws in existence on the date of its erection. A non-conforming sign shall not be relocated unless it is brought into compliance with the provisions of this Article. A non-conforming sign shall be maintained or repaired in accordance with the following provisions: The size and structural shape shall not be changed or altered in any manner which would exaggerate or increase a non-conforming aspect of the sign The copy may be changed provided that the sign structure and components are brought into compliance with the provisions of this Resolution within five (5) years of the copy being changed in any manner. The copy area shall not be enlarged and a Zoning Certificate must be issued for any changes In a case of damage occurring to a sign, the supporting structure or other elements critical to the function of the sign, the Zoning Inspector will determine if the extent of the damage is more or less than 50% to the structure or replacement value of the sign and/or the critical components. When damage exceeds 50%, the sign shall be brought into compliance with current standards or deemed abandoned. When the damage to the sign is less than fifty percent (50%), the sign shall be repaired within one hundred twenty (120) days or deemed abandoned

12 Article Table of Sign Area, Height and Setback Requirements Zoning Districts: Requirements: Sign Type RU R-1 R-2 R-3, PUD, MHP B-1 & B-2 PBO MFG Max. Size Max. Height Setback from R.O.W Permit Req d No. of Signs Allowed Notes For Sale, Lease or Rent Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 6 SF 4' 1' No 2 Non-illuminated Real Estate on 15 acres + Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 32 SF 8' 10' Yes 1 Non-illuminated Vehicular Signs N N N Y Y Y N 4 SF 4 1' No - Vehicular Signs - Manufacturing N N N N N N Y 8 SF 8 1' No - Off Premises Directional Signage Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 6 SF 4' 10' No 2/business Name & Address Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 2 SF 8' 1' No 1 Political Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 32 SF 4' 1' No - Temporary Announcement Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 32 SF 5 10' No - Refer to Farm Signs Y N N N N N N 6 SF 4' 1' No See notes 2 total Advertising Signs on Farms Y N N N N N N 32 SF 8' 10' No See notes See above Business/Professional Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 4 SF 8' on bldg. No 1 Historical/Commemorative Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9 SF 8' 1' No 1 Non-illuminated Yard, Garage or Moving Sale Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 6 SF 4' 1' No 1 7 days maximum Construction Signs - single residence Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 6 SF 4' 1' No 1 Construction Signs - major structure Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 32 SF 8' 10' No 1 Home Occupation Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 4 SF 8' Note 1. Yes 1 Property Control Signs Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 2 SF 3' 1' No - Window Signs w/ hours & credit Info. N N N N Y Y Y 2 SF 8' on bldg. No 1 Signs in Window Display N N N N Y Y Y 4 SF 8' on bldg. No 1/window Subdivision Sale Signs N Y Y Y Y Y N 32 SF 8' 10' Yes 1 Model Home Signs N Y Y Y Y Y N 6 SF 6' 10' Yes 1 Permanent Subdivision Ident. Signs N Y Y Y N N N 32 SF 8' 10' Yes 2 Non-illuminated. See Note 1 below Business or Manuf. Display Signs N N N N Y Y Y See note 15' on wall Yes 1 See Note 3 Free Standing Sign N N N N Y Y Y See note 15' 15' Yes 1 See Note 3 N = Not Permitted Y = Permitted 22-12

13 Article Table of Sign Area, Height and Setback Requirements Zoning Districts: Requirements: Sign Type RU R-1 R-2 R-3, PUD, MHP B-1 & B-2 PBO MFG Max. Size Max. Height Setback from R.O.W Permit Req d No. of Signs Allowed Notes Permanent Changeable Copy Signs Y N Y Y Y Y Y 12 SF 8 15' Yes 1 Refer to Temporary Changeable Copy Signs Y N Y Y Y Y Y 12 SF 5 15' Yes 1 Refer to N = Not Permitted Y = Permitted Notes: 1. Home occupation signs may be allowed in the front yard in cases where the dwelling structure is located more than thirty (30) feet behind the normal setback location for the dwelling structure or in those cases where the State of Ohio requires placement in the front yard for licensing of specific businesses. Such signs placed in front yards are required to be ten (10) feet from the right of way line. 2. Changeable Copy Signs are permitted in Rural and Residential Zoning Districts only for the following uses or entities: Churches, schools, colleges, government uses, non-profit organizations, or as required by law. 3. Maximum square footage total of ALL Business or Manufacturing Display Signs and Free Standing Signs not to exceed sixty-four (64) square feet